TeaChat

I was wondering how other TeaChatters enjoy tea at work, i.e. under sub-optimal conditions without a proper tea tray and probably without first rate teaware... and in the presence of people who think that hanging a teabag into a cup that has just been used for coffee is perfectly fine. I am known as 'the nutter who runs around with the strange cup' but I think it is more than worth it. If things work out you will be able to see my teaware combo I am currently using.
Tea-wise I absolutely love sencha at work. It works well with the available water and leaves me energized for the tasks at hand.
So basically my question is: what teaware are you using in the office and which teas do you find fits the workday best?

A SAMA style brewing vessel has worked very well for me.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et3ve-sgojw
EDIT: add photo

NPE, that's a lovely set-up.

basic equipment.
this is a quite old pic.
since I add teapots, a teatray, an inox kettle... quite a comfortable office

One office setup, plus pino kettle:



And the other office, somewhat out of date

Adagio's glass mug & infuser here. Have been known to buy Teavana's when Adagio is out of stock. Have also been known to intentionally buy crap tea because I drink more at the office than I ever could do at home....

One thing that works well:
I bought reusable BPA free gallon jugs, and the Whole Foods near my office has a filtered water dispenser, for 50¢/gallon. (I've seen these things more frequently on the West Coast.) The water tests at about 10ppm. So I get nice water for cheap, spare the plastic waste, eat lunch at the hot bar, and get a little walk all in one.

Wow, debunix, this is ravishing teaware!
And the selection of teas is impressive as well! I no longer feel strange about my +/- 10 teas now

Which type of tea do you guys like best - green to keep the energy level up or something with less caffeine to keep stress levels manageable?

I keep teas for every mood at work as well as at home--mellow shu pus, mild mannered oolongs, aggressive young she vs, edgy Dan Congs, whites, greens and herbals just in case.

The tea at work collection has expanded a bit, BTW--one of these days I need to update the Teaware shots.

I am lucky in that I have an area by my desk at work where I can induldge my tea hobby completely.

Now all I need is a filing system and the tea varities to file in it

I donated an old kettle to the kitchen area, where people make water for their teavana and lipton tea bag tea. So we have tea drinkers, but I just can't get them to move up their quality. I have bought adagio tea for them, but they have their tastes, and I have mine.

I drink puerh and an occiasonal oolong.

I think the most important thing is a kettle that has auto shut off. If I walk away from my desk, I do not have to worry about burning down the building.

Though in this picture, I show a little cup, I use a (gasp) hagi chawan to drink my puerh out of. It fits the contents of my little pots well, so it is more convinient to use than tiny cups and a fair pitcher.

A slop bowl and a teaboat help keep the mess down, the tea tray does not see alot of water.

Wow, debunix and TomVerlain, you've both got quite a setup.

I used to use Jing's infuser mug a lot when I worked at the office:


2013-01-30 14.02.12 by AndrewJAT, on Flickr

Now, I work mainly from home and use all of my teaware, though I've just ordered Seven Cups's thermos for when I lecture. Has anyone tried this one? It looks promising on their website.